GRAND RAPIDS, MI – Sally Bulthuis, co-owner of the independent children’s bookstore Pooh’s Corner in Breton Village Mall, was all smiles Tuesday morning as she watched Brain Quest representatives Adrian Smith and Chauncey Johnson realize they may not have enough chairs for everyone.

“This looks to be a very successful event,” Bulthuis said.

Smith agreed, "This is the best attended challenge we've had so far."

The free Brain Quest Quiz Bowl invited kids ages 2-12 to answer questions individually or as part of a team. All who attended received Brain Quest themed giveaways and official challenge participation certificates.

Brain Quest is a deck of cards that encourages education with interaction for kids, ages 3 through teen.

The large number of attendees surprised both Smith and Johnson as well.

“We just came from Ann Arbor and only had about 20 kids (there),” Smith said as he and his partner frantically signed Participation Certificates each child received at the end of the quiz bowl.

The final tally was about 50 children.

They were split into four groups each with a team name: The Tigers, The Smarty Pants, The Jaguars and The Brains. Then each team would randomly draw from a bucket of ping pong balls associated with a certain topic ranging from geography to history to science.

They used teamwork to come up with an answer and then would tell that answer to the youngest members of the group who would deliver it to the hosts.

Karrami James, of Grand Rapids, brought her family to the event. James is the mother of three children — Kendrick, 9; Jayda, 5; and Annika, 4.

“I’ve been to Pooh’s Corner before but just to shop," she said. "So I can’t tell you if my kids are excited but I am to be able to have a free event to help get them out of the house.”

Julie Pizzala, of Caledonia, brought her family including son Noah, who was put on the spot with a question during the quiz bowl. Although he was asked several times if he would like to change his answer, Noah stuck to his guns.

The question: “If a gymnast does a cartwheel is it kinetic or potential energy?” Noah answered “Kinetic” and he was correct.

Brain Quest publisher, Workman Publishing, is visiting five bookstores in Michigan this week.